Politics

There is a new push to re-introduce conscription to fix crime

Jul 20, 2017

While many teens already join army cadets, and even go on to careers in the armed forces, should it be compulsory for all?

Conscription has greatly divided the nation in the past, and is likely to again after a Melbourne council passed a motion on Tuesday to lobby the federal government to make every 18-year-old serve two years of compulsory service.

Casey Councillor Rex Flannery spoke to the Herald Sun and said Australia needed to do something to fix the problems we have with crime, and that it would give aimless teens direction in life while also strengthening Australia’s defences against terrorism.

“With all the stabbings and one punch attacks it is more dangerous walking the streets of Melbourne at night than being in Afghanistan,” Cr Flannery said.

The topic was also talked about on Sunrise this morning.

HOT TOPICS | A Melbourne council is proposing two years mandatory conscription for all 18-year-olds to tackle youth street crime. #sun7 pic.twitter.com/369lWvLWmg

— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) July 19, 2017

Social commentator Jane Caro said making it compulsory, when we are not currently in a time of war, is a bad idea. With post school studies to get a decent job, HECS debts, housing affordability, she said two years compulsory service would make things even harder for young ones to get ahead.

Tom Elliott from 3AW however said it was a great idea and might make teens grow up, in a world where 30-year-old’s were still loving living at home with all the conveniences of mum and dad.